The present invention is directed to a humidification cabinet. More particularly, the present invention pertains to an apparatus to humidify a food storage and warming cabinet.
Food storage and warming cabinets are common in the restaurant and catering businesses. Typically, food warming cabinets are used after food has been prepared to maintain the food at a desired temperature in a ready-to-serve condition. The plates or trays of food are held on shelves within an enclosed warming cabinet to await distribution. The cabinet may also be used to transport the prepared food from a preparation area to a distribution area. Typically, the food warming cabinet is maintained at a desired temperature with a warming element while a fan distributes the heat throughout the cabinet. Frequent opening and closing of the cabinet door to remove food plates and trays, however, can result in the heat from the cabinet escaping; as such, temperature regulators are also often included in food warming cabinets.
The food in food warming cabinets, however, can become dry due to prolonged exposure to the dry heat in the cabinets. To compensate, water is known to be sprayed through a fan into the cabinet to humidify the air. Unfortunately, with this approach, the food can become unduly damp or soggy. In another method, water is placed in a tray or basin in the bottom of the cabinet and the water is boiled with a second heating element to add moisture to the air. Unfortunately, not only is a second heating element required for this method, but the excess warm water in the open basin in the bottom of the cabinet can create a breeding ground for fungi, bacteria, and viruses, and may lead to the food becoming contaminated.
Accordingly, there is a need for a humidified food warming cabinet that prevents food from drying out and also prevents the accumulation of open water within the cabinet to inhibit contaminant growth within the cabinet.